Dephlegmator.



J. MAOKAYR DEPHLEGMATOR.

APPLIGATION Hmm JULY 24, 1905.

Patented Feb. 2, H909. 2 SBEETS--SHEBT 1. 4225755.,

INVENTU Z i3 Z 5,0. ,a f w W/Tlvfssfi ptmfq J. MAGKAYE. DEPHLEGMATOR. APPLICATIONFILED JULY 24, 1905.

91 1,31 1. l Patented Feb. 2, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

l i A uzf'orne 5:

carriers..

i J'AMES MACKAYE, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES A. STONE AND. EDWIN S. WEBSTER, OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS, AND RUSSELL ROBB, F CONCORD,

MASSACHUSETTS.

Speciication of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 2, 1909.

Appia-atan sled July 2e, reos. serai no. 27eme.

y 1plhlegmators, of which the following is a specitube 11. The lower end cation.

My invention relates to an apparatus for fractional distillation.

Fi re 1 is a vertical sectional view of a dep egmator constructed in accordance with my invention, showing the parts of the apparatus in side elevation. Fi 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same ut showing the parts ofthe apparatus in iront elevation.l

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view off. the y adinstable cage an its contents that in the complete apparatus is arranged in the dehlegmating chamber proper.' Fig. 4 is a etail perspective view oi' 'the framework of the cage. Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic v iew of my complete apparatus.

view o sections the column, taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the gures.

1 represents the top of a still-head of alily referred type of construction. The st' head 1 as show/mis' formed with an extension 2 into the top of which a thermometer t3 is inserted in any preferred manner. The eX- tension 2 is formed with a laterally projecting pipe 4.

v 5 represents a dephlegmating chamber, the walls of which are composed of any suitable material. The chamber vas shown, is rec` tangular in cross section and has the eneral shape of a truncated pyramid,-the sides of which, however, ii extended, would meet at aline at the top instead of at .a pint, the inclination being in the iront and ack walls of the chamber, the side and end walls of the chamber being parallel. The -top of the chamber 5 isformed with-an extension 6 into the top of whicha thermometer 7 is inserted, the lower end of which extends down below the opening of a pipe -8 that leads from the extension 6 to a condenser of any preferred construction or type; The lower end of the chamber 5 is formed with downwardly-slo ing walls!) as shown, terminatin in a ni p e i() in which isarranged a graruated gasa Gf this tub@ 1l is Fig. 6 is a cross' vdeflected as at 12 and arranged asuitable the extension 2 except when prevented by means of a valve 13. 14 representsa water jacket arranged about the chamber 5 as shown. .A pipe 15 from any suitable water supply communicates with the top of this chamber, Athe ow of water through the pipe 1 5 into the chamber being controlled by a valve 16. x y

17 represents a waste pipeA ruiming from the lower end of the water-jacket chamber. This ipe 17 as shown is carried in 'a vertical line a ove the top of the chamber 5 and then is deflected as at A18 to any desired oint of discharge, the vertical section of t e pipe servin to maintain the waterejacket chamber fu at all times. The chamben is connected to the extension-2 by means of the pipe 4, the cross section of the pipe being suilicient to permit the free flow of gases from the extension 2 into the chamber.

' 20, 20, 20, 2) represent two pairs of guides, there being one pair of said guides 2O upon each of the inclined walls of the chamber 5,

to wit: the front and the back walls in the form shown. These guidesas shown, are wedge-shaped with the butt of the Wedge Itoward the bottom of the chamber, the edge of the wedg .toward the top of' the chamber 5. inside-o the` Vchamber 5 is arranged a general wedge-shaped cage 30. The cage has the general shape v:of the chamber 5 ex- `r cept that it is less in cross section and shorter. Further the front and rear walls of the cage have lessinclination than the corresponding Walls of the chamber. The cage 30 is made up of a bottom rectangular frame 31 anda complemental top rectangular'frame 32 connected together byfour side bars 33. The sides of the cage are composed of wire fabric 34. The chamber `formed by the fabric 34 is lled with beads 35 of any able material, the mesh of the fabric 34 being sufficient to retain thebeads in the chamber. To the top framework 32 are secured two rods 36, 37, arran ed in complemental stuiing boxes 38, 39, gol-med in the top ofthe chamber 5. The tops of these rods 36,37 may be formed with rack teeth 40 to'engage with pinions 42 carried b a shaft t3 operated 'by a crank e4. By this means the cage suit- 3() may be adjusted to any desired height Within the chamber .l have shown a rech and gear for effecting this adhinstinent, but any esired means may be employed for this PLU." OSB.

of the saine, these guides thei clore maintain the cave centrally in the chamber 5. y

lll/'hi e my improved dcphleginator may be used lo.' dictilhng a single liquid, it has no 'special features of advantage for that pur pose, it being particularly designed for iract-ional distillation, Ithat is to say, where it is desired to separate one liquid troni another in those combinations Where the two liquids have different boiling points. Assuming the mixed vapors coming up into the still-head l,

they pass through the extension 2 and pipe 4 into the bottom of the chamber 5, from which point the vapors are compelled to -either pass through the beads 35 or contents of the cage 30er else through the narrow space between the ca e and the walls ofthe chamber 5, the unconc ensed vapor at the top of the chamber passing by way oi' the pipe 8 to a condensing apparatus oi any desired construction. The en of the tl'ierinoinetei 3?, being` in front of the pipe 4 or entrance, and the end of the thermometer 7 being in front of the pipe 8 or outlet, l am able to ascertain readily the temperature at both points at any tiine. During the passage of the vapors through the chamber, the vapor ol lower condensing point will be condensed either upon thebeads or in the space between the cage and the walls of the chamber, so that on the beads, among the beads and in the s .ace between the cage and the walls of the c 'iainber there will always exist a cer-tain amount of con-y densed vapor. It follows from this that the ascending uncondcnsed vapors in passing among the beads and between the walls of' the cage and the chamber, are compelled to pass through the liquid formed by the conensation of the vapor previously vaporized, as above statedi lt is, of course. understood that the vapor oi' both liquids will condense,

but the vapor of the liquid'having the higher boiling point condenses in greater relative roportion, the relative proportion depending upon the vapor tension ol the two liquids. Thus during the operation of the apparatus the vapor is not vonly condensed, but the ascending vapor is compelled to pass through the liquid of condensation before it can escape or pass out of the apparatus by way of the pipe 8, it being understood of course that the s ace between the cage and Walls of the chain er is so small 'sis to insure the' formation of liquid of condensation in this l i, l l l einer-i passa-ge or space *1'* vapor r vapor through tue pfpc 4: L ito the bottom ci the chamber is so rapid as to carry not o the veporbut the liquid of condeiii on over 'through the and through the pip other words, to bring about the coi that may be called nfeysering", the c is their lowered, there y increasing the sparc between the cage and the walls olf the chain ber, and such adjustment is continued until sullicieiit is provided to provient this undesirable action.

The beads in the seive its :in c1:- treinely `ellicieut means to condense the vapor and at the saine time hold the liquid of condensation to I ermit the passage ol the ascending vapor t ieiethrough, sind liquid as it accumulates running bach through the chamber and the tube li to the stilldic-wid. ln practice the cage is adjusted to the point suitable for the handling of 'the particu mixture to be distilled and requires only4 frequent adjustment. The cage serves tiro purposes, one, that of condensation by reason oi the l'icads, and the other, the niairitenuiififc of continuous distillation by the capacit prevent geyseiing through the vert? adjustment oi' the cage.

The relative proportion oi' thc vapor in the chamber grows less toward the top o' the chamber, that is to say, es the vapor ascends it more and. more condr-i Further by reason of having relatively mi row end walls, and relatively wide front :nid rear Walls, and by reason ol" the iiirliuiiiimi of the latter, l provide a condensing surface of relatively large area, to uit: substiiiiti the Wholeiai'ea oi the chamber. The

illy

tive proportion oi inclined suriacc o the IVI for holding in the tube temporarily the distillates for the purpose oi' iii-ensuring them in the saine way iii which thc cobol betesH are held and measured in the tube 'l l. 65 represents a vent pipe for the chamber (lil. 66 represents a pipe connected to the top of tube 62 and formed with two coiiiinuiiiciit* ing branches, 67, 68, the end of the brunch 67 terminatinff in a closed jar (il) below the level 7() of the liquid therein; while the branch 68 terminates in a closed jar 7l above the level 72 of' the liquid therein. 7? represents a tube running from the bottoni of the liquid ip tl'ic jar 7l to the air. 'M :t @tube opening into the top ol the jur 7l) :there the level ot the liquid. The pipes, 67, 68,

ist

, l am able to determine, by' M c glasses, the relative porportion -of distillate andi cohobates producedl duringk any given period. If the relative proportion.

einen ci distillate 'being produced 1s too great, l can control and .reduce such proportion to any desiredamount, by opening sufficientlyv the cock 16 of the water circulation; whereas, ii the relative proportion of distillate l 4 be too low, l can increase such proportion to any f desired amount by -a suliicie'nt closing movementt of 'the cock 16. The graduating glasses 62 and 1l furnish means for indicating the relative amount of distillate l and fcchobates being produced, while the water circulation and its controlling member ar cc'ck 16, serves as a means for controlling or regulating the amount of u'distillate and cohobates produced, thet termdistillate designating the produc sparrid .over to the4 pipe 8 to the condenser 60, whildfthe term cohobates designates` the products ci distillaticn that run back through the tube 11 into the still. 1

In the use ot applicants apparatus the pro ortions are varied according to` the articu ar article to be treated and the desired capacity for production. Apart from such proportions, nos ecial construction is' required for each in ividual use, since, by the adjustment of the cage, the same apparatus may be used for the distillation of vapors of diierent substances, the proportions in which the apparatus should be constructedbein'g clearly shown in the drawings, the constructor of the apparatus making the size ofthe apparatus correspond with the uantity. of

' distillation required. It willbe o vious that to travel up among t by the` adjustability of the cage, the latter' may be positioned at such a point in any articular case that the valpor will be compe ed e beads, as well as around thesides'of the'cage,-the space between the cage and the'wall of the frame being varied as desired', by the adjustment-of tllJie cage e prevented.v In 'the Iuse of the a paratus the space vbetween the cage and t e sides does not become clogged. lf' for any reason such. clogging actionoccurs, itfis obviated b moving thecage' to a point where suche ogging will not take place. The operative position, or position ofvuse, or position, in other words, between clogging and geysering, must be ascertained by the operator in each case. f

Applicants apparatus provides means whereby the operator can readily hold the action of the apparatus in its vopera-tine zone, between .cloggmg and geyseiing, thusv enabling the desired results to be secured continuouslyand effectively'. c It is manifest that-while one positionoi the cage might do -iorsevera'l dilerent substances, yet, the capacity of. the construction shown and described enables the distillation to becarried i on 1n the a paratus withoutfgeysering and 'without clogging, whatever substances may be employed, since the cage, as above stated, can e adjusted to a point which perterference of clogging or geysering Havingl thus explained the nature of my invention and described a way of making and using the same, although without attempting be made or all ofthe-modes of its use, what l lclaim' and dcsine to secure by Letters Patent lS'f" 1 1. A dephlegmator comprising a wedgeshaped chamber, a wedge-shaped condensing material-containing receptacle 'arranged -within the former.,` and means for .vertically movin the receptacle so as to vary the distance etween its walls and thewalls of the chamber, to vary the area of the cross-section of the free space between the said receptacle and said chamber.

2Q A'dephlegmator comprising a wedgeshaped chamber, formed with an inlet and an out containing rece taclc arranged within the former, means or vertically moving thereceptacle so lasto vary the distance between its Walls andthe walls of the chamber, to vary the area of the cross-section of the free s ace between the saidfreceptacle and said c amber, a still headconnected to said inlet, a' condenser connected to said outlet, 'meansv for visually measuring the flow of material through said outlet, aseparate pipe connectingthe bottom of said chamber with said still, having rovisions to permit vthe visual smeasuring clp the cohobates passing there' through. 3..A dephlegmator comprising a Wedgesha ed chamber, formed with an 'inlet and an4 out et, a wedge-shapedcondensing materialcontaining receptacle arrangedl within the former, and 'means for vertically moving the receptacle so as to var the distance between its walls and the wal s of the chamber, to vary the area of the cross-section of the free c amber, a still head connected to said inlet, a separate visualf'measuring"connection between said stillhead and the bottom of said chamber, a condenser connected with said outlet formed with visual measuring means,

\ and awater jacket 'arranged about said chamvary the distance between its walls and themits the desired distillation Without the into set forth all of the forms in which it may I et, a wedge-shaped condensing materiall y splace between the said receptacle and said '12 5 ned walls, a complemental shaped Walls of the chamber, to vary the area. ol the ross-Section. of the free Space between the smid receptacle and the said Cliumbei'.

5. A dephleginatoi comprising a chamber having inclined Walls, :i complement/al shaped condensing matei'ialcontaining wceptzi-cle arranged Within the former, means for vortically moving the receptacle so :is to vary the distance between its walls and the Walls of the chamber, to vary the area of the cross-section of the li'ee space between the j said receptacle and the sind chamber, and 1- rneans for indicating the rate of production I of f-ohobater 6. A de nlegmator comprising a Clnnnber hilving 'inc ined walls, a Complemental shaped condensing materiel-eontzzining reeeptiicle :ir-ranged within the loimei, ineens for Ver ticaly moving the receptacle so to vary in testimony whereof' l have :iliixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES MAC-KAYE.

Yitnessesl il' iLLiAn Qu i2: BY, li. ".l. GRAiLfiff. 

